Sefko: Spinning, shot-making beast Chris Kaman carries Mavericks

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Don Ryan/AP

Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle calls out from the bench during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland, Ore., Sunday, April 7, 2013.(AP Photo/Don Ryan)

PORTLAND, Ore. —
Before the Mavericks’ 96-91 victory over Portland
on Sunday, the Mavericks’ locker room was interrupted by a bothersome moth that
was flying around.

“Maybe it came out of Dirk’s beard,” one
staffer quipped.

The eviction notice for any critters or
insects that might be holing up in those scraggly growths might be posted soon.
For the third time in the last two weeks, the Mavericks climbed within one win
of the .500 mark, the magic mark they established more than two months ago,
when they vowed not to visit their razors until they reached their goal.

At 38-39, they will go for even par on
Wednesday against Phoenix at American Airlines
Center.

The Mavericks led by 26 points with less than
2 minutes left in the third quarter against the Blazers. They ended up
struggling to stop Portland’s
Will Barton down the stretch as the rookie finished with 22 points and 13
rebounds.

But the Mavericks made enough shots and enough
plays not to repeat their January visit to Portland, when they blew a 21-point lead and
lost.

Dirk Nowitzki sat out the fourth quarter after
he said he hurt his left foot coming down after jumping for a rebound. He
didn’t twist or sprain it, but it stiffened up at halftime, and he played less
than eight minutes in the third quarter and was unproductive while on the
floor.

“It’s a little stiff, and I decided to just
sit this one,” Nowitzki said. “Obviously, it got a lot closer than we were
hoping for so we had to grind it out down the stretch. I think I jumped for a
rebound in the second quarter and must have landed wrong or something. I must
have irritated my bone spurs or something.

“I got really stiff and couldn’t really move
much in the third quarter. I tried, got it retaped at halftime, but it didn’t help
much.”

Nowitzki said he “definitely” will play
Wednesday.

“I could probably play tomorrow,” he said.
“I’ll get some of those good meds. I’ll be fine. We only got five games left,
we got a chance to see .500 for the first time since December. I’ll definitely
play Wednesday.”

The Mavericks were taking care of business in
the first three quarters against the Blazers.

They got a huge night from Chris Kaman, who
finished with a season-best 26 points and 11 rebounds. He missed his
career-high scoring mark by three points.

“Kaman was great from the beginning of the
game,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “Real active on defense, rebounded like crazy
and just gave us a terrific all-around game.”

Kaman’s season has been a rocky one, but the
way he played against the Blazers probably is what the Mavericks envisioned
when they signed him to a one-year, $8 million deal in the summer.

Kaman had 16 points and 6 rebounds — at
halftime, when the Mavericks were ahead 56-32.

Of course, it’s important to know that the
Blazers’ starting center was J.J. Hickson, who is generously listed at 6-9.
They also played rookie Meyers Leonard at center.

“I think people know what I’m capable of
doing,” Kaman said. “We have a different style than other teams I’ve played on.
I’m willing to do whatever I can do.

It’s not always going to be perfect. But you
got to roll with the punches.”

The Blazers had all the appearances of a team
ready to go quietly. They have lost eight games in a row and the first seven
were by an average of 17 points.

It got interesting at the end.

The Mavericks went 4:47 without a point. The
Blazers tossed in 12 consecutive points, and when Damian Lillard converted a
fast-break layup, the Mavericks’ advantage was down to 88-80 with 4:45 to go.

The Blazers closed to 94-91 with 39 seconds
left.

O.J. Mayo missed a 3-pointer, and Portland rebounded and
had 12 seconds to try a potential tying 3-pointer.

They instead tried for a quick layup.

Lillard missed, and the Mavericks got a
breakaway by Shawn Marion to end it.

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